fatdaddy

Any idea on a fair price for 5 yr. warranty for 496HO's? I bought a 33 Outlaw and dealer said $9,000 for 5yrs. for both.

Mbam

Is that 1 year factory +4 or 1 year +5? List price (each) for genuine Mercury Product Protection is

+4 = $4710
+5 = $5610

fatdaddy

Thanks alot.

Reckless32

I got mine thru Extreme Offshore Marine and the +4 years only cost me $1000. It's not Q-Guard, but another (name escapes me) that includes gauges etc. as well....

Vyper340

Wait til you try and get some service... I never had ANY luck with after market warranties. Afterall, they wouldn't be in business anymore if they paid out a fortune in claims...

My advice is don't waste your money. Save it for the repairs IF you need them.

Reckless32

I disagree. If there are hassles (like any other warranties) if it's an engine failure or outdrive failure you're not gonna want to fork it out of pocket (i.e. $3-20K). I only paid $1k for the confidence. Ideally I'll never use it. If I do I'm one thankfull mo-fo. Vype you must not have one therefore the opposite argument. Should your motor crap out or outdrive, come back and tell us how your multi-thousand dollar investment wasn't worth ther extra grand but a lot of other decorative dollars was....

Vyper340

Reckless - as you'll find out (I hope you don't have to) it will depend largely on what the cause of the failure is. It's a fact that these engines simply don't just blow for no reason. Chances are better than you think that they WILL find a reason that is related to the fine print of things NOT covered. But then again if your happy to toss a $1k insurance policy at, more power to ya. All I can relate is my experience with previous warranty purchases and coverages... It was a waist of money IMHO.

BTW- (recall our conversations about boat insurance at O'Leary's) I think it's ironic that you'll spend money on engine insurance but not on your bigger investment. The kind of, or value of, insurance (total boat) that represents the BIG picture should take more consideration IMO. As you found out the first week you owned the Sunsation, it doesn't take much for some idiot to reck your investment and it's not hard to have a total loss or signifigant loss when it comes to boat repairs. Funny that you'll spend $1k for the engines which are only going to last 500 hours (your half way there) but not pay the extra $100 a year to protect your total investment.... If it goes up in flames tomorrow you lose big because you only insure for "what you owe". Tune into the BIG PICTURE buddy.

It's a good thing we both served our country and earned the right to our own opinions and have a forum for such here at OSO. At least we earned the right while others (terrorist protectors/supporters) in this country take for granted the luxuries that we and our brothers in arms have paid for with blood, sweat, and tears during our countries history.

mcollinstn

I fix all my own stuff.

BUT

I'll still price a warranty for things I buy. In some cases, the warranty doesn't sound like a good deal, in other cases it does.


Laptop warranty from HHGregg. $200 for 3 years - no questions asked. I opted NOT to buy the warranty for my 4 laptops. I opted to BUY the warranty for the laptop I bought for my niece. She's used it twice for problems that would have required motherboard replacement at $600 each time.

Extended warranty on a 26,000 mile used Plymouth minivan for my company - $1100 to cover it to 100,000 miles - didn't buy it.

The 1992 400SE Mercedes I sold to a friend - I told him I would buy the warranty if it were mine, and I would've. 92 was the first year for the body style and they had lots of issues while under warranty. The $1000 was a good deal cause it covered all electronic systems as well as powertrain. He did buy it, has not yet needed to use it.

I watched my destructive, non-mechanical ex-brother in law buy high mileage Jaguars and BMW's. He always bought the warranty and always got good use out of them. Before him, I ALWAYS thought these warranties were a joke. He proved me wrong again and again. We now sell warranties at the dealership and they are good policies.

Not experienced in the Merc warranties, but if they cover drive failure, it would be wise to look into it.

Vyper340

Good points. For all those interested in marine aftermarket warranties: Keep in mind that NOTHING related to salt water damage is covered. If you ride the salt water like me, my mechanic told me that it's damn hard to prove that the conditions surrounding its use did not play a role in failures. IMO best case is that you have to spend hours "going around the table" to get what you paid for...

Reckless32

Vype, hull repairs are matter for the other insurance if they're out of reach of your pocket book. "Internal" failures, no fault of your own, in a new production engine without history (496HO) is no big stretch, and it's always about cause. That goes without saying and is understood. Mine covers gauges and other hardware where some items only came with a one year mfr. warranty. Also had it been the $3-5K for the warranty, then no way. Only because they offered it for the $1K and the motor was unproven and my dealer, whom I trust thoroughly, assured me they had great success to date dealing with them...

I'm still no fan of insurance in general except to cover my financial liabilities, especially during the 1-3 years of ownership. I think in value based policies you're giving back your equity in higher premiums and the odds of total loss are far greater than internal engine/drive failures dur to production faults. In the meantime I think I could survive the loss of value and could walk away comfortable in knowing my note was paid should disaster strike. Instead of disaster though, I'm hoping to win the lottery...

And BTW, mine's not an opinion, it's a philosophical difference in practical thinking...

Botton line, I would for a grand, I wouldn't for $3-4 grand (per motor/drive), and I would especially do so if I had two (unproven) motor/drive setups to worry about...For a grand or less a piece that is...Hopefully neither of us will put this to the test and ours will ride off into sunset providing continued good service to the next guy...